Part 579 (1/2)

2:21. And it shall come to pa.s.s in that day: I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth.

Hear the heavens, etc... All shall conspire in favour of the church, which in the following verse is called Jezrahel, that is, the seed of G.o.d.

2:22. And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and these shall hear Jezrahel.

2:23. And I will sow her unto me in the earth, and I will have mercy on her that was without mercy.

2:24. And I will say to that which is not my people: Thou art my people: and they shall say: Thou art my G.o.d.

That which was not my people, etc... This relates to the conversion of the Gentiles.

Osee Chapter 3

The prophet is commanded again to love an adulteress; to signify G.o.d's love to the synagogue. The wretched state of the Jews for a long time, till at last they shall be converted.

3:1. And the Lord said to me: Go yet again, and love a woman beloved of her friend, and an adulteress: as the Lord loveth the children of Israel, and they look to strange G.o.ds, and love the husks of the grapes.

3:2. And I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a core of barley, and for half a core of barley.

3:3. And I said to her: Thou shalt wait for me many days: thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt be no man's, and I also will wait for thee.

3:4. For the children of Israel shall sit many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without altar, and without ephod, and without theraphim.

Theraphim... Images or representations.

3:5. And after this the children of Israel shall return and shall seek the Lord, their G.o.d, and David, their king: and they shall fear the Lord, and his goodness, in the last days.

David their king... That is, Christ, who is of the house of David.

Osee Chapter 4

G.o.d's judgment against the sins of Israel: Juda is warned not to follow their example.

4:1. Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel, for the Lord shall enter into judgment with the inhabitants of the land: for there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of G.o.d in the land.

4:2. Cursing, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery, have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood.

4:3. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth in it shall languish with the heat of the field, and with the fowls of the air: yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be gathered together.

4:4. But yet let not any man judge: and let not a man be rebuked: for thy people are as they that contradict the priest.

Let not any man judge, etc... As if he would say: It is in vain to strive with them, or reprove them, they are so obstinate in evil.

4:5. And thou shalt fall today, and the prophet also shall fall with thee: in the night I have made thy mother to be silent.

4:6. My people have been silent, because they had no knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee, that thou shalt not do the office of priesthood to me: and thou hast forgotten the law of thy G.o.d, I also will forget thy children.

4:7. According to the mult.i.tude of them, so have they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.

4:8. They shall eat the sins of my people, and shall lift up their souls to their iniquity.